166 DR. R. R. GATES : A STUDY OF NORTH AMERICAN 
The poisonous genus Veratrum contains some 17 species in the north 
temperate zone. In northern Asia are found V. album, Linn., and V. nigrum, 
Linn., and several other species. Of the North American species V. parvi- 
lorum, V. viride, V. intermedium, and V. Woodii may be ranked as eastern 
species. V. parviflorum, Michx., is frequently included in Melanthium, but 
in the absence of glands on the perianth-segments and in view of its close 
relationship to V. intermedium and V. Woodii there is no doubt that it is 
properly excluded from Melanthium. 
In distribution, V. viride is spread most widely, extending west to 
Minnesota in wet habitats. V. parviflorum occurs in drier localities on 
mountains from Virginia to South Carolina, V. intermedium in Georgia and 
Florida, while V. Woodii occurs farther west, in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, 
and Iowa. Itmust be said, however, that V. intermedium and V. Woodit are 
particularly difficult to separate, and this difficulty is enhanced by finding 
from Georgia certain specimens (Foot of Stone Mountain, De Kalb Co., 
Georgia, H. Eggert, July 23, 1897) verging on V. Woodii and from Illinois 
a specimen (Hancock Co., Ill, S. B. Mead, July, 1842) practically 
inseparable from J). intermedium. The differences between the species 
in their typical condition are as follows :— 
V. Woodii : Perianth-segments broad, purple; pedicels typically very 
short, 2" or less. 
V. intermedium : Perianth-segments narrower, dark brown within ; 
pedicels 3"—4" long. 
On the other hand, V. intermedium comes nearest V. parviflorum, from 
which it is clearly separated, however, as follows :— 
V. intermedium : Stamens nearly as long as perianth-segment, ovary 
pubescent. 
V. parviflorum : Stamens less than half as long as the perianth-segment, 
ovary smooth. 
In the two features of V. intermedium above mentioned it agrees with 
V. Woodü. V. viride is much stouter, with broad elliptical leaves, in which 
it agrees with the western V. californicum. 
The differences between V. viride and V. Woodii are shown in the 
following table :— 
V. viride. V. Woodit. 
Stem stout, very leafy to the top. Stem slender, sparingly leafy. 
Leaves broadly oval, sheath-clasping. Leaves oblanceolate, only the lowest 
sheathing. 
Panicle pyramidal, Panicle very narrow. 
Perianth yellowish green, segments ciliate- Perianth greenish purple, segments entire 
serrulate, pubescent. glabrous. 
Ovary glabrous. Ovary tomentose. 
Flowers 15-25 mm. broad. Flowers 19-16 mm. broad. 
